


Stories (A Merlin BBC Fanfic)

by Liv_H_chaotic



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Acceptance, Explanations, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Nature, Serious, arthurs chill with magic, bones - Freeform, but also the strongest warlock to ever live, even people who arent sorcerers, everything has magic, merlin is still a manservant, short and sweet, stories, thought provoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 04:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15811449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liv_H_chaotic/pseuds/Liv_H_chaotic
Summary: Merlin and Arthur are on their way home when Merlin stops to give an unexpected explanation of the magic in stories.





	Stories (A Merlin BBC Fanfic)

    They had been traveling back from a long and exhausting quest involving swords and magic and bravery. Arthur had long since accepted Merlin's magic. Camelot was now stronger than ever. A powerful, kind king. An even more powerful warlock by his side, silently daring anyone to attack.  
    They had been crossing a wide, open field. Arthur had noticed at once that Merlin had become unusually quiet since they came upon the open area, but he quickly grew used to the silence, thankful for its presence.  
    And because of this, it was several minutes before the king realized that Merlin was no longer by his side. He stopped, hand drifting to his sword as he turned on the spot. "Merlin? Merlin, what on earth are you doing?" He had spotted his servant, several yards behind him. He stood, facing west. Arthur could only see half his face, but it was oddly blank. Arthur hurried to his side, worried. "Merlin? What's wrong?"  
    "Have you ever stopped to take everything in, Arthur?" The warlock asked. Arthur frowned at the unusual question, but Merlin went on before he had a chance to answer.  
    "Did you know that there's magic in everything?" He turned slightly, looking at the tree line that circled around them in the distance. "Everything. The world teems with it. Rocks, tree, insects, animals. In water, and dirt. It hangs in the air like a thin veil. Did you know that?"  
    "I-- no, I didn't know that." Arthur replied, completely bewildered by his friend's uncharacteristic behavior.  
    "I didn't, either. I suspected, but . . . It's in you, too. It's in everything. Magic is the maker of everything. It's what changes the seasons and causes storms. But there's different kinds of magics. There's a special kind of magic in humans."  
    "What do you mean?"  
    "It's . . . It's like a story-telling magic," Merlin said. Arthur would have laughed at his friend, but the circumstance of this sudden explanation had the king hanging on to Merlin's every word. "There's different kinds of magic," he repeated, "and they are all within us. We all have different amounts of different kinds. It's what gives us our talents." He looked at Arthur. "Your magic is kindness. Your overwhelming need to have mercy on those below you. Gwen's magic is empathy. Most knights have some form of magic involving bravery, metals, strategy, or mercy."  
    He paused then looked down at the ground. Not in shame, or embarrassment. There was a kind of fascination that sparkled in his eyes, causing Arthur's gaze to fall as well, studying the grass and dirt at their feet.  
    "But there's a special kind of magic that we all have. It lays dormant, though, until we die. _That's_ the story-telling magic. It tells our story."  
    "How do you mean?" Arthur asked, so quietly that he almost whispered.  
    "We're on a battlefield, Arthur. We stand on hundreds of bones. Each and every one of those bones tell a different story. Heartbreak, joy, fear. Stories of childhood, stories of adulthood. Stories of mothers and fathers, stories of families torn apart. We all have a story, Arthur."  
    The king looked up to find Merlin's eyes already on him. "We all have stories. Know that, Arthur, when you rule Camelot. When you lead armies and fight battles. Know that someone, some day, will sit beside your bones and listen to your stories."

 

 

 

 


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